what do you think about mardy fish, blake, dent & crew?

[GOOOOOGA]

There's andy and andre. then there're a bunch of Americans who have the potential to crack the Top 10. There's spadea, who had a 23 (i think) match losing streak. He's a good tennis player (ranked 19th), but thats as high as he'll go. he wont make an impact in Grand Slams and he's getting old. Mardy has potential, as do blake and dent, but it seems like everytime they do something good, they follow it up with several bad showings. Dent got to the 4th round of the Australian (or the "Open of Asia-Pacific" heh), R16 of Indian Wells, then lost first round matches in MonteCarlo and Miami and lost in the 2nd round of the French. He THEN reached the bronzemedal game in Athens. Same thing happened for Mardy; his year highlight was undoubtedly reaching the final in Athens vs. Massu. Blake has been out for most of the year with a neck injury, as well as the death of his father. JB might be out of sync when he comes back; what type of player'll show up? will he have a new passion for tennis or will the family tragedy/injury combination spell his end?

These young Americans have alot of heart and pride (they stepped up for their country in Davis Cup matches and the Olympics), and with more consistency, will reach the top 10. Kinda scary -- Filling the void left by sampras, agassi, courier, and chang will be roddick, fish, dent, ginepri, spadea, and blake. Oh yea, then there's 15 yr old beast Donald Young. I predict a HUGE MASSIVE tennis "revolution" in the next 5-10 years.

for the time being, though, ESPN, PLEASE SHOW NON-AMERICAN PLAYERS IN ACTION DOWN UNDER!!!!

 

[Nosoupforyou]

Most of them are overrated. Blake and Fish have some potential, but Fish does not seem to want to get into the condition he needs to be in to constantly compete at a top level. Blake could probably be a consistent top 20 player if he makes fewer unforced errors and stays healthy. I remember when everybody was hyping up Roddick, Fish, Ginepri, Dent, Vahaly, and Blake, and now the only one who has really met those expectations is Roddick. Ginepri actually did ok this year (top 30 finish?) and he has enough game and determination to actually take the next step. But other than him, Blake, and Roddick I don't really see the others doing anything other than a good result here and there from Fish and Dent. You really need to look at these guys' grand slam records too. Roddick is the only one from the lot who consistently reaches the fourth round and above in slams.

 

[el_mago]

No offense to any of the mentioned players, but Mardy Fish and Taylor Dent are the best out of that "future of american tennis" crew. The rest are all overrated. The "future of american tennis" players have not lived up to the hype and they are not molding a very bright future for men's american tennis. Fish and Dent are exceptions to this since Fish showed his potential by getting the olympics final and Dent is steadily improving, I'm expecting bigger things from Dent next years. Blake,Ginepri, and the rest are underachievers and i don't expect much from them in the near future. After Andre leaves, Roddick, Fish, and Dent will be the best players left, and so far Roddick is the only one who's made a breakthrough at a slam out of the three of them. If Roddick is the only young American who can contend at a slam, the "future of American tennis" doesn't seem so bright. I just hope that the other young Americans such as Donald Young will perform better then Fish,Blake,Dent and the rest of the crew.

 

[rhubarb]

Ginepri had quite a good run at Wimbledon, beating an off-form Ferrero, but still only managed to end the year at 63. Dent and Fish are far higher (32 and 37 respectively), but I'm not sure how much further either could go without being fitter. If they really got down to it, they could probably break the top 20 (I think Fish did that earlier in the year, but then slipped again).

Not sure about James Blake. He's sitting in the 90s (due to his injury of course) with a bunch of other Americans, but should be out of there soon if he can get back on track.

I don't think any of them are likely to get near Roddick's achievements.

 

[dAgEnIuS]

i think they are just tennis players who will just participate in the Davis Cup and never break the top 10 in their life....

 

[spinbalz]

IMHO, Blake is way overrated, will have a career often between 30 and 60 and can seldomly crack the top 20 for a short period at best, Fish may show good things on hard courts but he is a joke on red clay so it will be very hard for him to be a constant top 10 player if he can win big ATP point only a part of the year instead of all along the entire year, it is possible but it takes more talent than what he has (the ones who are able to do that are very high caliber players like Roddick, Hewitt, and a few others...), Dent is an enigma, he should do more damage with his monster serve but his results are not so great for the moment, but perhaps that he will have a career ala Patrick Rafter (averge pro player first half of his creer, then top player during the second half), Ginepri is at his rightfull place between 25 an 35 and will have trouble to do much better, Spadea has a respectable ranking but he won't do much in slam events and he is not the future of USA tennis anyway, other player not mentioned are insignificants.

 

[rhubarb]

Er, Ginepri isn't even top 60, let alone 25 to 35

 

[spinbalz]

Ginepri has already been around 30.

 

[pound cat]

So, what is the problem with American tennis? Has tennis gone out of style in the US? Is there more money to be made playing poker or hockey? Pro tennis is all about money, isn't it?

 

[el_mago]

US participation in tennis is relatively low at the moment but it is rising. The USTA is doing all they can to promote the sport such as introducing Tennis Welcome Centers and the new established US Open Series tournaments. Tennis is also one of the more difficult sports to master. There is less competition in tennis then in other sports in the US. Football,Basketball,Soccer,and Baseball are really the BIG sports. Sports like hockey and paintball have been gaining a lot of participation lately in the US also.

 

[el_mago]

I don't know about the salary of different sports but I do know if you're a professional athete you're likely to get paid big bucks. In tennis, if you're..say..in the top 20 you probably have a lot of money won from tournaments and getting to late rounds. But when you're ranked..let's say..last in the world, you're a professional athlete but you're not making the big bucks. NBA players who do not play well that sit on the bench still get paid the big bucks, that's probably why there's more interest in basketball and other sports.

 

[paddyslad]

USA in 2005

I hope the young players get better. They have to be more focused. Here is my rundown.


Fish - Must get fitter, he is got the same gut as me! Next to Roddick, he is the best right now, but lose the spare tire.

Ginepri - Needs consistency and focus. Loses matches when he is up.

Blake - Stop modeling and start playing. Injuries aside, we will see this year. This is a make or break year for him.

Donald Young - Get more mature body wise, don't come to the tour too fast, you are not ready. Futures tours is the next step.

Dent - Serve and Volley may not be your game, especially on the clay. See Henman for example. Be smarter on the court, know when to stay back.

Scoville Jenkins - Gain more confidence, body seems ready, is his head? Also hope to get better draws, Roddick the first round of the US Open, Yikes!

Jan Michael Gambill - Unlike Blake, stick to modeling, you have been a disaster.

Vince Spadea - You got screwed by P-Mac in Davis Cup, tough vet, wish he was younger. Stop screwing him P-Mac, let him play Davis Cup. We might have won against Spain. He worked his way to get there and most of all he deserved to PLAY, not just be on team!

Brandon Evans - Stop playing futures events, you are ready to take your lumps out on the big stage. Work to get that ranking up in the challengers.

Bryan Brothers - Stay healthy guys because you are on top of doubles.


USA, be ready, Murray (England), Nadal (Spain) and Monfrils (France) are coming. They have the talent to make a huge impact in tennis. Cut out the distractions and focus on tennis young members of the Stars and Stripes. I know these young guns are ready to make examples out of each of you! GO USA!!!

 

[el_mago]

Vince Spadea - You got screwed by P-Mac in Davis Cup, tough vet, wish he was younger. Stop screwing him P-Mac, let him play Davis Cup. We might have won against Spain. He worked his way to get there and most of all he deserved to PLAY, not just be on team!

I agree that Vince shoud've been chosen over Fish, BUT might have won against Spain. Face it the US was just outplayed except for the Bryans in doubles. Moya and Nadal would've beat Spadea like they beat Roddick.

 

[paddyslad]

Vince over Nadal

Roddick was in, didn't play great, looked slow on the clay. You are right he should have been playing.

I think Vince Spadea would have handed Nadal his ass in Davis Cup. Vince is a sly old vet. Mardy and Andy looked bothered by the crowd, clay, and the cold. I think Vince would have used this opportunity to show P-Mac, hey "I belong here, let me at Nadal." We will never know but Vince got screwed. Andy and Mardy looked lost. Moya would have beaten Vince, but not Nadal.

 

[Ronaldo]

You can be #300 in the NBA and still be on the roster. In Tennis you are in the qualifiers or worse, futures. Grant Hill is probably in the top 60 of all NBA players and makes $14,487,000.00 this year and nearly 17,000,000.00 in 2 yrs. #60 in the ATP gets no luv on this board.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

the problem is in americans themselves. we want to see strength, massive muscles, we wanna see donavin darius paralyze rob ferguson, we wanna see barry crush balls into the mccovey cove, marty mcsorley knock out martin brashear. we want flash, we want vince carter's electrifyin dunks, we want allen iverson breaking ankles with that crossover. So, what can the USTA do to promote tennis, a sport of grace, cunning, and patience? Advertise rocket forehands and blistering serves! we'd rather watch fernandon gonzalez and a-rod duke it out rather than watch federer and coria (we, as in the average channel-surfing couch potato). No wonder we got handled in the olympics in basketball. American bball is all street, one-on-one play. the europeans work with spreading the ball out, taking open shots. Hockey's dead. Baseball isn't the national past time it once was. a different kind of football is famous in europe. we americans r obsessed with highlight reel quality play.

 

[alan-n]

the problem is in americans themselves. we want to see strength, massive muscles, we wanna see donavin darius paralyze rob ferguson, we wanna see barry crush balls into the mccovey cove, marty mcsorley knock out martin brashear. we want flash, we want vince carter's electrifyin dunks, we want allen iverson breaking ankles with that crossover.

In other words, most people in this country have bad taste. There isn't much the USTA can do. America is a culture of who is bigger, badder, in-yo-face bi-at-ch, F-U. Maybe we should start having skimpy ho-es, I mean cheerleaders and ball girls like the madrid open. Tennis is a dying sport and will be forgotten and underappretiated in America Public eye, all that will be left will be clubs and local parks with regulars or former college players.

It takes a lot of time hard work, concentration, dedication to become a skilled tennis player. The "I want it Now" person can't handle that.

 

[baseliner]

Of the crew mentioned several observations. First, no Grand Slams in the present crew. Of the also rans mentioned don't think Spadea, Fish, Ginepri or Blake have a prayer. Dent has more chance to win a Slam than the higher rated players but doubt he will. After Roddick the hope for US tennis lies with the ones who have not arrived yet, ie. Young and Jenkins. No one knows if they will be good enough, we do know the current crop is not good enough to win a grand slam. (Other than Roddick of course- he may win one or two more but beyond him things look bleak for the US).

 

[Camilio Pascual]

As a group, they have ALREADY peaked.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

alan-n, i completely agree with u on the "in yo face, b****, F-U" mentality that, sadly most americans have. it will be hard to get rid of this mindset, but it IS possible. its all about marketing, not just tennis, but every other major sport. what we need is sort of an association where the heads of American sports meet and discuss what needs to be promoted, what needs to be tossed out. In: family, fundamentals, team play, graceful/smooth play. Out: MCI Center's Speed Dating Service, behind-the-back passing, star player emphasis, brute strength advertising. I mean, you can look at the NBA where team play is paying off. the 3rd best team in the league, the Sonics, emphasize sharing the ball. no fancy stuff. just catch, pass, pass, shoot. tennis is tough, though. most beginners quit right away because they rn't any good at the start. it takes years to even be DECENT. the sport takes alot of committment. wait, no, i dont think thats why americans dont warm up to tennis. it's probably because americans LOVE sports, but they dont like to PLAY them. we are the fattest nation in the world. we are the most TV-watching nation in the world. football is good to see becuz you can see the athleticism of guys you've always wanted to be - 6'3, 240 lbs of muscle.

camillio, i dont think theyve peaked yet, mostly because once they start to rise in the ranks, they have a HORRIBLE showing at a tourney and just crumble for the next 2-3 months. they come back with a great tournament, then regress back to that inconsistent way. they haven't peaked. they try going high, but slip back down.

 

[Max G.]

As to the fish-blake-dent-ginepri-vahaly crew - they're all in the same category, in my book. Vahaly slightly worse than the others.

If they have an okay year, they'll end between 20 and 40. If they have a bad year, by their standards, they'll end up below that, but in the top hundred. If they have a great-awesome year, they have a chance of breaking the top 20.

Maybe, if one of them has a big jump in playing ability or fitness, one of them has an outside chance of cracking the top 10 for a bit. Maybe. I wouldn't bet against one of them making a foray into the top 10 at some point, though I'd definitely bet against one of them staying there for an extended period of time.

 

[VamosRafa]

I think Vince Spadea would have handed Nadal his ass in Davis Cup.

I don't think so. Spadea did beat Nadal on a hardcourt in Madrid, 4 6 6 4 3 6.

But Rafa has a good claycourt record, against guys who are much better claycourt players than Spadea.

Even at his young age, Rafa has much more Davis Cup experience than Vince. And he had 27,000 people backing up his performance there.

Patty Mac did the right thing in putting Roddick against Nadal. Roddick has much more Davis Cup/big-match history, and would be much more intimidating to Nadal than Spadea given the already pro-Spanish venue, crowd, etc. Andy is the No. 2 player after all, and he showed that to Rafa at the US Open.

If Spadea had played, it wouldn't have gone 4 sets in my opinion. Nadal would have beaten him in three.

As for the other Americans, I think we do have to look ahead to Donald Young, at least for Roddick-type results. I don't see it happening with Fish, Blake, Dent, etc. I think they will continue to do fairly well, but I don't see any Americans other than Roddick and Agassi in the Top 10 in the near future. It's not that they aren't good; there's just too much competition.